The neolithic temples of Hagar Qim and Manjdra located on the southern edge of the island of Malta long with the Ggantija temples located on the island of Gozo date back to about two thousand years before Christ.

The period during which these temples were built is referred to as the Ggantija Phase, named after the Gozo temples. The name Ggantija, derives from the Maltese word for giant and when one visits these temples, the names makes a lot of sense.

Hagar Qim

The Hagar Qim and Mnajdra temples are located on the south-eastern coast of the island of Malta, near the village of Qrendi. The complex of temples of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra are a few hundred meters apart, the Mnajdra temples lying closer to the Dingli Cliffs just south of the Hagar Qim temples. The view of the Mediterranean and the island of Filfla are quite breathtaking, especially late in the evening when the sunlight is shimmering on the choppy sea. You can also get a great vies of the cliffs just south of the Mnajdra temples. The area around the temples is sparse of vegetation and very rocky.

Hagar Qim is the most complex and elaborate of the Ggantija Phase temples. The temples, built entirely of globigerina limestone blocks, are often referred to as the upper temples, since the Mnajdra temples are located closer to the Dingli Cliffs and down the loping road from the Hagar Qim temples.

The huge limestone blocks that were used to construct these temples are an awesome site, considering that the people who built them did not have any of our modern tools and equipment. Some of the megalithic slabs tower above you and you have to wonder how they managed to move them and stand them upright. SOme of these slabs are over twenty feet high and weigh several tons.

The layout of these temples is hard to visualize. When one passes through the impressive entrance to the temples, one finds a jumble of courts, corridors and chambers.

A number of altars, niches, and tabernacles can be found in these temples. One of these altars found in these temples has a unique floral carving and was not found in any of the other temples on the island. This altar is on display in the Valletta National Museum. The temples were surely used for ritual functions, judging from the number of altars that can be found there.

The impressive facade and main entry to Hagar Qim

The huge megalithic blocks of Hagar Qim

One of the chambers of Hagar Qim showing two altars

Mnajdra

The Manjdra complex consists of three temples. The left temple, the second one to be built, is constructed of coralline limestone. It has four apses facing one another, two by two and contain a number of niches. Some of the niches are decorated while others are at two levels, the upper one being supported by a central column.

Monolithic doors lead to the "oracle chambers" situated behind apses. The columns of the doors of the central aisle support lintels of impressive dimensions. The main portal is nearly ten feet high.

The middle temple was the last one to be built. It contains an artificial terrace. This temple is different in that it was constructed of smaller blocks of stone of similar dimensions, each weighing several hundred kilograms. The temple has two pairs of apses.

One of the chambers of Mnajdra